Agenda item

Votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Schneiderman were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Schneiderman was declared LOST.

Votes on the substantive motion in the name of Councillor Thomas were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that:

Council notes that:

1.            The proportion of electricity in the UK produced by renewable energy has increased hugely over the past decade to around a third.

2.            Currently Barnet produces approximately 3000mWh of renewable energy per year.

3.            Under the Council’s reporting for the Carbon Reduction Commitment, the CO2 emissions based principally on the corporate non-education estate reduced by 59% between the four years 2014/15 – 2018/19.

4.            The borough is developing a proposal to install and generate electricity from solar panels utilising opportunities within LBB's asset portfolio, while providing increased capacity and access to EV Charging points on LBB's estates a. None of these panels will be built on parks or green space in Barnet.

5.            New build projects in Barnet often include solar panels and low carbon technology which have been incorporated into a number of school projects and the Oakleigh Road Depot.

6.            In 2020, the Council completed the RE:FIT project, which installed energy saving measures on the Corporate Estate, such as libraries and Council offices, including the town hall. The CO2 savings for the REFIT project are estimated at 139 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

7.            The Council is currently mid-way through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) project, which is a £1.38m grant to work towards decarbonising some of the Council’s buildings, including offices, libraries, children’s centres, and a primary school; this will result in a reduction in gas use.

8.            The CO2 savings for the PSDS project are estimated at 288 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Energy saving measures include installing heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels, battery storage, LED lighting and Central Management Systems (CMS) a. The measures will all be completed by the end of 2021.

9.            We have undertaken a wholesale change in streetlighting, converting the entire network to LED lighting. This will result in a drop in our lighting related emissions by two thirds.

10.         Barnet has an ambitious electric vehicle charge point programme, which has now installed over 100 charge points based on resident request, as well as freestanding town centre units and community charging hubs in car parks across the borough.

11.         The Government has a target to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

12.         The Council’s Brent Cross Town development will be a net zero carbon town. The development will feature a district heating system, which will be the largest installation of its kind in the UK.

a. The district heating network will include 8MW of heat pumps, supplying over 80% of the total heat requirements of the site, alongside other low and zero carbon heat sources to keep the Brent Cross South site warm.

b. A plan is also being worked on to use the infrastructure to cool Brent Cross South in the summer, as well as heat it in the winter.

Council believes that:

1.            Investing in sustainable energy will help clean Barnet’s air and will save the Council, our residents and businesses money.

2.            The Council should continue to install EV charge points based on resident requests.

3.            That the borough’s sustainable energy projects are ambitious and achievable.

4.            The borough can and must do more to build on our successes in producing and using sustainable energy in Barnet.

Council resolves to:

1.            Ensure that Barnet continues to invest in sustainable energy.

2.            Do a better job at communicating our successes in this area.

3.            Have our sustainable energy plan as a core component of the borough’s sustainability strategy.

4.            Do all it can to do its bit to help the UK reduce its emissions and reach its net zero carbon target.